In Rock we trust…

That is all, for the moment

 

 

This week I have been mostly-Painting Skitarii, reading Supergods by Grant Morrison and Listening to AC/DC

Fifth time lucky ?

Tonight sees me begin to run D&D 5th Edition for the first time, and I find myself childishly excited at the prospect.

We have two experienced players, one who has dabbled slightly in the murky puddle that is roleplaying, and one total neophyte.

I’m going to try to take things slowly, introduce the rules, the setting, and the basics of adventuring, not to mention all those funny dice !

I’m looking on it as a bit of a reboot, as we have been starved of RP action for a while now, due to all sorts of real world hassles that have caused chaos in our lives.

I’ve not gone crazy with detail or grand campaign plans this time, just kept things small, and so I can hopefully be flexible enough to respond to what my players enjoy, or follow what crazy plots they hatch during the course of the evening.

The rules are much more stripped back, and encourage you to experiment or ‘wing-it’ much more than previous editions, which is a positive boon for people like me who don’t know their ‘attacks of opportunity’ from their ‘grapple modifier’

There are a couple of little tweaks which have been added which will hopefully inspire some roleplaying, and a nice mechanic called advantage/disadvantage that should speed up play by removing a whole slew of modifiers.

I’ve noticed I run better games when I can concentrate on story rather than mechanics, which is why CoC (Call of Cthulhu) always works well with our group. (Well I think it does, my players may disagree)

I think this version of D&D is of a similar complexity so it should help me to concentrate on the saga at hand without getting dragged into a maths test when I try to assign modifiers to achieve anything.

I’m really looking forward to tonight and hope it goes smoothly, or at the very least hope everyone has a laugh or perhaps a tale to tell.

More details as they happen, but I’m cautiously optimistic.

This week I have been mostly-  watching Breaking Bad, and reading Ultimate Invincible Vol.9

Increasingly erratic, non blog-omatic

Apologies for the paucity of posts lately, but I’ve been re-evaluating what I want to do with this blog.

Clearly this isn’t going to be a daily or possibly even weekly event so I kind of feel like I should put some more effort into the content.

I’d like to talk about how much I’m enjoying King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence, or how much fun the Lion Rampant rules from Osprey are, or even how wonderfully nostalgic the 5th Edition D&D Players Handbook makes me, but sadly I can’t seem to let my fingers do the talking.

Oh and don’t get me started on the woeful adaptation of Enders Game I just watched, simply horrible.

Ben ‘king of the wandering accent*’ Kingsley, should be hit with a pipe repeatedly, as he sleepwalks through this travesty, possibly that might cause him to exhibit some other emotion than ‘mildly grumpy’

*(He seems to be going for New-Zealand/ South Africa, via Watford)

Painting, has of course slid off the radar, as it always does, though as our local games club seems to have imploded already, thats not as huge an issue as it might be.

I’ve really, finally, given up on the idea of ever finishing a unit of anything ever again.
In future I vow to only ever paint stuff I can finish in one sitting, and if that takes me longer than a week I might as well just sling it in the bin and have done with it.
Or let the Cats chew it, which is an ever present threat these days, as is finding one of the furry little assassins asleep at the top of the stairs.

I’m currently rallying the troops for the start of the umpteenth roleplaying campaign, but finding it as hard as all of them are to fit gaming into our busy lives.

Still mustn’t grumble eh ?

D&D will be the weapon of choice, and this time it’s personal, I predict shenanigins

This week I have been mostly Watching the IT crowd, and reading about the Wars of the Roses whilst listening to High Road by Night Ranger

Dungeons and Ruminations

As I’m currently suffering from the ‘back to work blues’ I thought it was worth while typing a few lines whilst I’m suffering from job induced Insomnia.

Last night I ran a game of D&D 5th, or Dungeons and Dragons, or 5th Ed.  Whatever the kool kids are calling it this week.

Now considering I’d not properly read the rules, or the adventure, or the fact that it was a Pathfinder adventure i was ‘converting’ on the fly, and that two of the three players had ever Role-played  before, things went remarkably well.

Goblins were,despatched, traps sprung, Skeletons shattered, magic Swords wielded, and yes a Dragon was slain, all to the accompaniment of much shrieking, and furious dice rolling (much to the chagrin of the Cat)

Didn’t use figures, just the Cardboard standees from the Pathfinder Beginners box, though they were actually lie-downees, as I have long ago lost the little plastic bases.

Used the fully pregenerated (complete with roleplaying directions) characters in the starter box

Employed the fold out battle map in the Pathfinder box, and multiple sets of ‘funny dice’ I had lying around.

I hardly referenced the rules all night, didn’t fuss over combat mods, ranges or stat blocks, and it still all worked.

I think I’ll go out on a limb and say this might be the best edition yet, and I’ve not even bought anything other than the starter set.

However, this goes with a caution, as an RPG, it’s not exactly breaking new ground, after the total rethink/revamp that was  4th edition, this is very familiar stuff.

It’s not flashy, it’s a bit clever in places, and a bit ho-hum in others, and all the stuff you loved about D&D is still here in an easily  accessible form.

However, I still find myself completely on the shelf about this game as it actually only presents the game the way any experienced GM would probably run it anyway.

I’m not negative about it, but I’m not overwhelmingly positive about it either, it’s a great start, but it just feels a bit ‘meat and potatoes’ at the moment, and I likes me some Chilli !

This week I have been mostly- Watching Walking Dead, and not sleeping

Saving Ryan privately-

Well it’s official, I really do have a problem, despite having zero available funds and even less free time somehow, I seem to have acquired yet more soldiers to paint.

I know it’s what is colourfully described as a ‘first world problem’ which is right up there with a lack of fresh Herbs in Sainsburys’ and the central heating being too warm, however I think it’s a problem worth particular mention this week.

You see, I’m working towards 1000 points of Bolt Action, but really don’t need more PBI, what I should be getting is Trucks, Jeeps, .30 Cals, Mortars and Sniper teams.

Sadly, I have no discipline and seeing the plastics at a bargain price meant all hope was lost.

 

However, I didn’t buy the new Players Handbook, The Strange RPG, or the Fate guide to WW2 Cthulhu (not it’s actual title but I am too lazy to look).

Pictures as soon as I pick up a brush again, I promise (Steve you put us all to shame !)

 

This week I have been mostly- Watching Saving Private Ryan, Reading 13th Age, and listening to the Very best of the Eagles

Things fall apart

No, this isn’t going to be a rumination on the overall poor quality of Super glue, or indeed a rant about the less than stalwart anti-corrosion performance of Ford exhaust systems, or even the inability of Bridgestone tyres to survive the insertion of large nails into the tread block, though all these things and more have occurred since my last long-form post.

I know I lied (slightly) in my previous post when I said I wouldn’t talk about these off topic things, but I’m sure you, gentle reader, will forgive an old man his foibles.

No, indeed, my subject today is how life conspires to throw us, curveballs, fastballs, screwballs, knuckleballs and changeups when we least expect it.

Looking back to my first posts I see how I had planned a whole selection of jolly japes and thrilling adventures with my regular gaming scallywags, and sadly how so far it has almost all come to naught.

Some of you more cynical coves might suggest you’ve seen this all before, however let’s press on.

Normally I would be disheartened, or possibly even depressed, but I think I’ve managed to dodge that bullet this time.

My Bolt Action stuff, continues to grow, and as proof witness the mighty Sherman in my previous post, though the Perry Infantry I was doing has slipped back in the painting queue somewhat (they’re soooo lovely, but sooo tiny they make my eyes bleed).

The Fallout-esque Roleplay campaign I was planning is still slowly gestating until our group comes off an unavoidable hiatus and I am eyeing the new D&D Players Handbook enviously as a stop gap.

I’m still painting, though mainly for the sake of painting, than with any fixed Army in mind, just for the giggles in fact.

I’m giddly excited about all the FFG announcements from Gencon and considering selling my Kidneys to pay for all the stuff.

Oh and Gary and I have struck out, rather like missionaries into the wilds of Beeston to bring joy and banter to the godless in a new games club that has just started there.

This week I have been mostly Reading Control Point, watching Walking Dead, and reorganising my painting table (again)

On the table today

 

 

Ok It’s been waaay too long since I posted anything, and far too much has happened to bore you with it now.

However, just to prove I’ve done something, unlike Mr Green who is a painting machine at the moment, here is my first vehicle for Bolt Action.

Needs more mud and grime, plus a coat of matt varnish- should have tested that very old can of Olive Drab paint on something other than my shiny new tank- which is now still quite shiny !

Tip of the hat goes to Army Painter Inks, where have you been all my life, and MIG pigments mixed with Humbrol Decalfix, it’s the easiest most fun way to weather anything, and it’s totally reversible if your a sponge fingered muppet like me Huzzah !

Saw Guardians of the Galaxy which was really fun, plus Rise of the battle of the fall of the Planet of the Apes, which I really enjoyed even if it got too explodey at the end.

This week I have been mostly painting BAR gunners, reading Indigo Slam and Calibans War, and watching the end of Utopia

Why We Fight

First of all, sorry for the brevity and frequency of my posting recently but it’s been a wee bit hectic at Stately Wayne Manor lately and that’s kept me off the keyboard.

Ok lovely people, what am I going to ramble about today then ?

Well the title kind of gives it away, but I think I had another Mini-Epiphany on Friday (it was quite painless, and smelled of Custard btw) whilst we were playing Warhammer.

Yes, read that again, the big fella was playing Warhammer, the jabbing folk with pointy sticks edition.

Now those of you who know me will realise how rare that is, despite having owned High Elf, Skaven, Dwarf and Bretonnian armies at one point or another, I think the number of games I have played of it in 20+ years probably still hasn’t broken into double figures.

Why is that you may ask ?

Well it’s kinda like this, I just don’t enjoy it.

I’ve sat for hours painting eyes on Spearmen, gems on Shields, Runes on Hammers and Rats on bases only to see them pulled out of their movement trays and boxed back in the case before I can roll a single Die.

All the love and affection I’ve given my little dudes, and the time I’ve spent painting them to a standard that didn’t make me want to pluck out my eyes in disgust, is wasted as they are usually obliterated by the latest Chaos Daemon Skullynutbuster/Marmaliser my opponent has just fielded fresh from the box.

Or even worse, my unit of 30 White Marmot Axemen are derided as being sub-optimal, or not ‘worth the points’ before I’ve even got them out of their Blister Packs.

I’ve read the Army book, absorbed the History, looked at the evocative Art, and coveted the Pretty Lead, Plastic, or Failcast Resin models and as a result decided that I really love my White Marmots or my Dwarf Nubthumper so don’t use your thrice damned Mathhammer on me, or I will introduce you to my Lumphammer of Cold Steel +1 ™

I’m an unapologetic follower of the ‘rule of cool’ but for the longest time this was definitely NOT the way anyone, anywhere near to me wanted to play Warhammer.

Cue years of disgust, muttering and playing other things like Warthammer 39.5K (which is actually probably even worse than the pointy stick edition but I digress)

Fast forward to last Friday night, and young Mr Greens attempt to ‘edumacate’ the unbelievers.

A five player game, using the Triumph and Treachery rules, featuring all painted miniatures and some lovely terrain.

You can read a proper Batrep on Stevos Toy Soldiers but I’d just like to say how much fun it was even though I came last and didn’t score a single Victory point !

The addition of a random turn order, random event cards, and relatively smallish forces made the whole affair easy to follow, absorbing and most of all fun.

Perhaps even more importantly something that I’d definitely do again, I’m not ready to start buying an army or building a list, but I’d happily roll some dice on any Friday night.

So, why do we fight ?

Well for me, it’s the culmination of those hours of Building, Painting and Converting my troops and then seeing them arrayed in an order of Battle.

It’s witnessing their story played out on the Battlefield, whilst wondering if they’ll perform as well as they do in the books and films that have inspired me to pick them in the first place.

It’s also the moment when someone plays a treachery card that stops them dead, or another card that boosts their movement.

It’s the lucky dice roll or the unlucky morale test

It’s the Drama, it’s the Story, it’s the fun I, and my buddies can have with it all.

The Legends that we make on our teeny-tiny table top.

Friday night reinforced what I already knew and suspected was missing for me from regular gaming, it’s why I usually gravitate towards Skirmish-type and scenario based games.

However, it was great to see that even using a system that doesn’t usually seem to support this play, it can be done with a little effort and some like minded reprobates.

Hat’s off to Steve for organising things, Mark, Gary and Kenton for the opposition, and Dave for the alliance.

Great stuff gentlemen, I can’t wait to fight you all again soon

 

 

 

 

Good News, Bad News

The Bad

I’ve been very lax and not blogged for days

I’ve not worked on any miniatures either

I think I have painters block (again !)

I’ve not been sleeping at all well.

 

The Good

Just finished Joe Abercrombie’s Half a King, and I think it’s my book of the year so far.

Just found a big box of old Bolt Action Germans, British Paras, and Americans so I’m completely sorted for models for the time being

Only one week of work left then six weeks off !

Utopia starts again tonight

Today I have been mostly- starting to read Caliban’s War and listening to Pat Benatar (don’t judge me !)

One Rule to Rule them all

I’ve been reading the Bolt Action Rules lately and loving every page of it.

I’ve been skimming the Fate Core book, and enjoying it, though it has a few concepts you need to properly wrap your noggin around to fully appreciate them.

And I’ve just downloaded the new 5th Edition D@D free rules, which seem great fun, if nothing too ground breaking.

And I realised I’ve just about reached my limit on rules, well to be more precise, I just can’t do complex systems any more.

I’m not sure if it’s my fading grey cells expiring, or my interest waning in ploughing through pages of modifiers and charts but,  I really just can’t be @rsed anymore.

I don’t think Universal systems really do anything well, as they lack focus, or more precisely they lack the cohesiveness of design that comes from a single genre game.

I like games that embrace the subject matter and include rules that strive to emulate it, but not at the cost of reams of detail.

Today I have been mostly… Reading Half a King, and Listening to Anathema-Distant Satellites